Saudi Arabia: Shoura Council puts brakes on women driving proposal

11th Oct 2013

[Shoura Council]

By Ibrahim Nafee

Jeddah, (Arab News): The Shoura Council on Thursday rejected a move by three women members to have the body discuss lifting a ban on women driving in the country, according to a report quoting the SPA.

The 150-member council, which has 30 women members, rejected a move by one woman member to raise the issue during a discussion on Thursday of Transport Ministry matters, the SPA said.

It said the issue was “irrelevant” to the discussions and “not within the Transport Ministry’s remit.”

Ihsan Abu Haliqa, a former member of the Shoura Council, told Arab News: “Any recommendation to be studied by the council must be filed by the majority of Shoura members. There are only three women Shoura members who filed a recommendation to study the issue of women driving.”

He said the consultative body “does not deal with individual recommendations” and that there should be significant social pressure for the issue to be taken up. He said the council does not support women driving.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2015 was held on March in London to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to the society.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2015 was held on March in London to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to the society.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence event is to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to society. Over 850 people from diverse background, Muslim and non-Muslim, attended the gala dinner.